California Northstate University Hospital

California Northstate University (CNU) representatives announced on December 20, 2018, their plans to build a new Medical Center Campus in the City of Elk Grove. CNU is a private for-profit medical school. As proposed, the Medical Center Campus would include, among other things, a teaching hospital to be built in the first phase of construction. The property identified for the proposed project is located across from CNU’s current educational campus at 9700 West Taron Drive in Elk Grove.

About the Project

The City received an initial application in December 2018 from Fong & Chan Architects requesting approval of various Planning permits (referred to as entitlements) for the CNU Medical Center Campus Project. The Project as proposed in the application encompasses approximately 25-acres of property currently developed with a mix of commercial and office uses, as well as the existing California Northstate University educational campus.

The Applicant’s proposal includes a new teaching hospital, several parking structures with ground floor commercial space, a medical office building, an outpatient clinic, and a student dormitory. The Applicant proposes the project to be completed in three phases.

Project Context

The Project site is currently identified in the City’s General Plan (the long-range master plan for the City) as a combination of Community Commercial and Light Industrial development. The northern portion of the Project site is zoned “General Commercial” (GC) while the southern portion is zoned “Industrial-Office” (MP). The Applicant is requesting a General Plan Amendment to change the land use designation from Light Industrial to Employment Center, and a Rezone to change the zoning on a portion of the site from the GC zone to the Industrial-Office Park (MP) zoning district. The Applicant is also requesting text amendments to Elk Grove Municipal Code Section 23.42.040 and General Plan Policy ER 2-3 which relate to flooding.

The Project’s proposed uses are conditionally permitted on the site with the current and proposed zoning designations. A “conditionally permitted” use means that a project could proceed with a permit from the City (called a “conditional use permit” or “CUP”), subject to various conditions imposed by the City.

Projected Next Steps

Project Status: Under Review

The initial Project application was submitted to the City in December 2018 and deemed incomplete. The City received a revised submittal on April 16, 2019. The application is currently under review.

The City’s review of the Project at this stage evaluates the potential uses and operations (Conditional Use Permits for the proposed hospital, helistop, expansion of the medical school), architectural and site design (District Development Plan and Major Design Review, including review of the site plan, architecture, landscaping, lighting, amenities, screening), and an environmental review.

The review process for the Project, including environmental review, is expected to take approximately 12 to 18 months from April 2019 until the Project is brought to the City Council for a decision. During this process, there will be several opportunities for the public to provide their feedback on the Project. The graphic below illustrates a standard project review process timeline and indicates those stages in the review process when public comment will be solicited by the City. The exact dates for these milestones are not yet available for this Project, but will be publicized once they have been set. Signup to receive project updates and meeting notifications.

Next Public Meeting

The Special Trails Committee meeting scheduled for March 23, 2020 has been canceled. The Project will be rescheduled for a review by the Trails Committee at a later date.

The California Northstate University Medical Center Project has updated the site plan to include a Class I multi-purpose trail along the eastern edge of the property site from the existing levee path to the intersection of West Taron Drive and Elk Grove Boulevard. The proposed Class I multi-purpose trail includes 10-feet of paving with 2-feet of decomposed granite on both sides.

Project Review Timeline

Environmental Review

An Environmental Impact Report (EIR) will be prepared for the Project to study the potential impacts generated by the Project including, but not necessarily limited to, traffic and transportation, noise, water supply, air quality, aesthetics, and light and glare. The EIR will be circulated for public review and comments.

Contact

Stay Involved – Join the Mailing List

The City of Elk Grove encourages input from anyone with an interest in this Project. If you would like to learn more or stay involved as materials are presented to the Planning Commission and City Council, signup for the mailing list. The City will be sending email announcements when materials are available and when hearings are scheduled.

Share With Us

Send City staff your comments, questions, or concerns about this Project. We will do our best to provide you with information as the Project moves through the City’s review process. Responses to your message will be provided within two business days.